Thread core



c. K. DUNLAP 1,896,135

THREAD CORE Feb. 7, 1933.

Filed Feb. 25, 193l Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. ."DUNLAP, OI HARTS'VILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO SONOCO PROD- UC'IS COMPANY, 01 HARTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH GAROLINA THREAD CORE Application fled February 25, 1981. Serial No. 518,195.

This invention relates to thread cores primarily intended for use in-supporting packages of silk or other thread in knitting, weaving, dyeing, or other operations in the textile industry.

Many types ing thread packages have'heretofore been designed or suggested, but the type of such device which is most commonly used in the textile industry comprises a conical member of paper, upon the outer conical surface of which the thread package may be wound. It is a consideration of the first importance that the point or tip of such a cone be smooth in order not to catch the thread as it is being unwound from the thread package, this thread being withdrawn from the package axially of the core and past the small end thereof.

In the manufacture of these paper or fiber cones or tubes, a blank is usually first impregnated with'an adhesive substance, such as paste, and then wound into conical or tubular form upon a mandrel. Following the p tendency of this portion of the cone to resume 75 winding operation, and while the cone is damp with adhesive and still on the mandrel,

the rough ends thereof are cut off by spaced trimming knives, leaving it with annular end surfaces. The cone is then removed from the mandrel and dried. When dry, however, the circular outer edge at the small end of the cone, that is, the edge formed by the intersection of the conical outer surface and annular end surface, is alwa s found to be ragged or rough and enera- 1y has portions pro ecting outwardly yond the thread receivin surface. It is necessary, therefore, that t is edge be smoothed before the'cone can be used; otherwise the thread bein unwound therefrom at a later time won (1 in all likelihood be caught and injured or broken.

Various expedients have been heretofore resorted to for smoothing or rounding the circular edges of cone tips. It has been general practice to round and render smooth the entire tip end, the fiber of the tip being distorted by pressin the cone wall into a rapidly rotating ie which breaks own the wall of the cone adjacent the tip, displacing of. thread cores for supportindicated above is dipped in water or is package which may have been positioned on the fibrous wall inwardly and at the same time polishing its surface. Cones of this t are entirel satisfactory in use where t e thread pac age and core are not subsequent- 1y subjected to water treatment, as by dipping or by being placed in humidification rooms.

It is found that, when a thread core which has had its small end polished in the manner placed in a moist atmosphere for a period of time, the distorted end of the cone tends to resume its original shape, swelling and losing its rounded contour and continuous polished surface. Hence it has been attempted also to provide means for retaining the rounded contour of the cone by other means, for instance, metallic caps, dipping in ename1, etc. A metallic cap will prevent the nose of a cone from resuming its original form but is cumbersome and expensive to apply and does not always roperly fit the cone. By' dipping the polis ed points of the cones in amt or enamel of waterproof character, the

its ori mal shape has been greatly lessened. Nevert eless it has been found that a cone, the tip of which has been treated with a waterproof substance such as enamel, will, when subjected to excessive contact with water, sometimes break the enamel due to swelling of he fiber, thereby rendering the cone useless and endangering any thread the cone for humidification.

In accordance with the present invention, a method is provided for the manufacture of cones, or cores of other shape, of paper or fiber whereby the necessity for distorting the tip of the cone ina smoothing operation is completely avoided, the tip or point of the cone being smoothed in a novel manner, preferably by a burning operation which does not involve distortion of the fiber of the paper from which the cone is fabricated. By the 95 burning operation the sharp, ragged, circular outer edge of the cone at its omt is remove and the tip, if desired, roun ed. The resulting cone is not only eminently satisfactory from the standpoint of the'knitter orv weaver 1 within range of minute flames.

but is more economical to fabricate and more durable. Various means may be employed for performing the operation of charring, singeing, or burning away portions of. the tip of the cone to smooth the same, the invention not being limited in this respect.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a paper or fiber cone after it has been wound and trimmed but before the tip has been rounded;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the cone with a point which has been subjected to the improved smoothing operation; and

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the tip of a cone which has been subjected to the smoothing operation and then coated with enamel.

In the manufacture of a paper cone, as has been heretofore briefly pointed out, a paper blank impregnated with an adhesive substance, such as glue or paste, is wound upon a mandrel. While the mandrel is still rotating, spaced cutting knives descend and trim the ragged ends from the cone, reducing the cone to the desired length and leaving it with annular end surfaces. A cone which has been wound, trimmed, and dried is shown in Fig ure 1 of the drawing. It will be noted that the outer circular edge of the cone, at the small end thereof, is relatively sharp. This edge also is usually ragged and somewhat irregular, with portions which project outwardly therefrom upon which a thread may catch when being unwound from the core. It is therefore necessary to render smooth the circular outer edge of the cone, indicated at 10 in Figure 1, and in order to do that I subject this portion of the cone to a burning operation which consumes a small portion of the material of the cone, particularly removmg the sharp, circular, outer edge at the point, and any ragged projections.

The exact apparatus for performing this may vary widely in type; The nose of the cone may be presented to a highly heated die or may be subjected to hot metallic members of variou? kinds or may be brought The burning or charring operation is continued until the edge of the cone has been properly smoothed. The cone may be rotated about its axis, while being burned by a stationary burning instrument. In this event it will be certain that the new surface uncovered by the burning operation will be concentric with the axis of the core. In the event that any blackened or charred portions remain after the cessation of this operation, the point of the cone may be subjected to a brushing operation.

Thereafter, if desired, the thread core may be immersed in a waterproofing compound to make it somewhat resistant to the action of water. Finally its tip may be coated with enamel by dipping the same in an enamelbath so that it presents the appearance shown in Figure 3, a thin layer of enamel being indicated by the reference numeral 11. It is found that the enamel adheres with great tenacity to the charred surface of the cone.

By the smoothing and shaping of the point of the cone in the manner set forth, a very serviceable thread core is produced at small cost. The tip of the cone permits the perfect run-ofi of thread and yet is as mechanically strong as though it had not been subject to a smoothing or rounding operation. The fiber of the core is in its original condition, not being distorted in any way by the rounding operation and hence is well able to withstand the mechanical shocks incident to shipment and use without being damaged. The use of special treatments of the tip to preserve its shape is avoided, and it is unnecssary to provide any form of mechanical retaining or reinforcing device. Furthermore, the fibers of the material at the tip being undistorted, there is and can be no tendency of the tip to change its shape when subjected to wetting, no matter how prolonged.

It will be appreciated that the actual burning or charring operation may be performed in various ways and by means which differ widely in structure, the invention being of considerable modification in its application. The articles so treated may be cylindrical or conical or may have other shapes, the invention not being limited in this respect although its greatest usefulness will probably be realized in the manufacture of conical members of paper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. The method offabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises forming a tube by winding a sheet of paper upon itself, trimming the end of the tube to leave an annular end surface, and smoothing and rounding said end surface by a burning operation.

2. The method of fabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises forming a tube by winding a sheet of paper upon itself, and thereafter smoothing the end of the tube by a burning operation.

3. The method of fabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises forming an open ended hollow member of paper by winding a paper sheet into tubular form and thereafter smoothing the end thereof by a burning operation.

4. The method of fabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises formin an open ended hollow member of paper or Iii ing the end thereof b a burning operation.

5. The method of abricating athread core for use in the textile industry which come fiber and thereafter smooth-- ing an external thread receivin surface, and thereafter smoothing the end 0 said member, beyond the thread receiving surface, by a burning operation.

6. The method of fabricating a thread core for use in the textile industry which comprises forming a tubular paper member having an external thread receiving surface, smoothing the end of said member by a buming operation, and coating the end thus smoothed with enamel.

7. A paper article for use as a core for thread windings in the textile industry comprising a member having an external thread receiving surface and a smooth rounded surfaced end past which thread may be freely drawn without catching, the paper fibers immediately beneath said rounded end surface being undistorted and those fibers extending to said surface terminating in charred ends lying in said surface.

8. A paper article for use as a core for thread windings in the textile industry, comprising a spirally wound tube, the convolutions of which are secured together by an adhesive substance, and the outer surface of which is a threadreceiving surface, the circular end surface of the tube past which thread is axially withdrawn from a thread package mounted on said surface being smooth and rounded, the paper fibers immediately beneath said rounded end surface being undistorted, and those fibers extending to said surface terminating in charred ends lying in said surface. 1

9. A paper article for use as a core for thread windings in the textile industry comprising a member having an external thread receiving surface and a smooth surfaced end past which thread may be freely drawn without catching, the paper fibers immediately I beneath said rounded end surface being undistorted and those fibers extending to said surface terminating in charred ends lying in said surface, and a smooth coating of enamel overlying said end surface and a portion of the adjacent thread receiving surface.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my.

signature.

CHARLES K. DUNLAP. 

